American COP January 2014 Digital Edition - Page 20

caRRy OPTIONS FROMHOLSTERSTOHAVERSACkS. JOHNRUSSO Off-Duty Carry W Galcoiswell-knownfor theirtop-qualitydesign andproduction.Their handsomeandstylishDel HolsterHandbagallowsa womantocarryahandgun safelyandsecurely,butstill allowsfast,sureaccess. Pockets And Purses hen I started my career, the fanny pack was all the rage. Though the man-purse was convenient, it wasn’t exactly fashionable. More importantly, unless you were on vacation at an amusement park, it simply screamed COP! Then firearms companies got smarter and started making quality handguns smaller and lighter. But there’s more to carrying one of these little guns than just stuffing it into your pocket. You should always dedicate the pocket to only carrying the gun — nothing else. Keys, change and your lucky crystal charm all have a way of getting into the triggerguard and causing bad things to happen. You should also carry the gun in a pocket holster every time it goes into your pocket. This protects the gun and your clothing, keeps the gun from printing and keeps that “Oh, there it is” lost mini-pocket knife from finding the trigger. And believe me, it will. reclUse holsters I Recluse offersseveral pocketholster optionsandideas. TheirOneSidedand TwoSidedmodelsoffersecurity andspeedforpocketcarry. 20 ’ve been using pocket holsters for years and have found several I really like. I’m always on the lookout for something new, which is how I met Tod Cole from Recluse, LLC. Tod makes the Recluse Holster, a pocket holster with several different variations and innovations I hadn’t seen before. These are all-leather holsters, made in your choice of leather or horsehide and black or natural colors. They’re offered in two primary models: the One Sided Holster and the Two Sided Holster. The name says it all. The One Sided model has a short pouch at the bottom to cup the muzzle. In the middle of the holster is a trigger block, which is custom-molded to each model of firearm and fits around the trigger inside the triggerguard. This keeps the holster thin and ensures the gun can’t be fired, but it still allows a simple, fast draw. As you achieve your grip, it forces the gun off of the trigger block, allowing the pistol to be pulled free. The Two Sided Model doesn’t have the trigger block and differs from the conventional design. It has a molded inner layer, only sewn down low, allowing the two sides to expand so you can get a full grip on the gun while it’s still in the pocket. I have this model for my Kimber Solo and it works great. It fully covers and protects the ambidextrous safety and is very comfortable to wear with jeans or slacks. As with all pocket holsters, never try to re-holster the gun with the holster in your pocket. You should remove the holster, put the gun in it and then put the holstered gun back into your pocket. WWW.AMERICANCOPMAGAZINE.COM • JANUARY2014